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Why did Giuseppe Garibaldi give southern Italy to Victor Emmanuel II?

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Portrait of Giuseppe Garibaldi wearing a beret and cloak, with a full beard and mustache, looking toward the camera. — Giuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Garibaldi, c. 1860–82.

Giuseppe Garibaldi relinquished his control over southern Italy to King Victor Emmanuel II primarily to ensure the successful unification of Italy.12

Although Garibaldi was a revolutionary who held democratic ideals, he was deeply committed to the national cause and recognized that completing the unification process required the support and leadership of the Piedmontese monarchy. By 1860, political tensions had risen; the prime minister, Count Cavour, feared that Garibaldi’s radical followers might turn the movement into a purely popular uprising or provoke international conflict, particularly with France, if Garibaldi attempted to march on Rome.12

To prevent a political fracture and ensure the stability of the newly forming nation, Garibaldi agreed to hold a plebiscite in the south, which resulted in an overwhelming vote for annexation under Piedmont. On October 26, 1860, he met with Victor Emmanuel II and formally handed over his dictatorial powers, prioritizing the unity of the Italian state over his own personal authority or political agenda.12